Overhead gantry systems have been long known. Typically overhead cranes are suspended from such a gantry for use in large shops. Precision of movement, speed, and smoothness of movement for such cranes is typically not important. Robotic manipulators are also sometimes maneuvered by overhead gantry. Precision of movement is typically more important for robotic manipulators because movement to precise space coordinates is often required. Speed of such movement can also be important. In applications such as automated refuelling of vehicles, precision of movement and speed are important, and a gantry would also preferably have smooth movements. Further, cost of an apparatus such as a automated refuelling system is also critical. It is therefore desirable to provide a gantry wherein these goals are accomplished and a drive is required for movement along an axis on only one side of the gantry, and precision tracks are not required.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a gantry system wherein alignment of tracks on which the gantry rides do not have to be precisely aligned. It is a further object to provide such a system wherein the gantry can be driven along an axis with only one drive motor, and fast, smooth and accurate movements can be made.